Lapel reinforcement



June 20, 1939. V DAMKEN 2,163,333

LAPEL REINFORCEMENT Filed June 11, 1938 QZ gQ/EZZ" A ZEorQ qr Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 11, 1938, Serial No. 213,271 In Switzerland May 23, 1938 1 Claim.

This invention relates to lapel reinforcements and is directed more particularly to a reinforcement of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,099,356, issued November 16, 1937.

In my prior patent, the barb is located adjacent one end of the body portion and the point thereof is directed toward the opposite end of the body portion. The end of the body portion having the barb thereon is first inserted in the lapel and pushed upwardly until the whole body portion lies within the lapel.

In the present invention, the reinforcement is formed with the barb adjacent one end of the body portion but the point of the barb is directed toward the same end of the body portion. The opposite or smooth end of the body portion of this device is first inserted in the lapel and pushed upwardly until the barbed end of the device lies within the lapel, whereupon the barb engages the material to hold it in place.

A constructional example of the invention and the manner of using the same is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating the formation of an opening in a lapel by means of an awl;

Figure 2 is a similar View illustrating the insertion of the reinforcement in the lapel;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the reinforcement in position and the front covering of the lapel removed;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the reinforcement; and

Figure 5 is a front elevation thereof.

Referring to the drawing, I is a coat lapel on a mans garment regarded from the front. I is the rear side of the same. 2 is a strip of any suitable material such as steel, celluloid, Bakelite, whalebone, or the like, which is provided at the lower end with a barb 3, the point of which is directed downwardly or toward the end of the strip in which it is formed. This. barb in the illustrated example is of an elongated triangular form and is for example pressed out of the strip to one side thereof. 4 is a probe of about the same length as the strip 2. 5 are stitches in the lapel and 6 an aperture, for example a round aperture, in the strip at the opposite end to that provided with the barb.

The way and manner in which the strip is laid in the complete lapel can be seen from Figures 1 and 2.

The lapel is turned over and the probe 4 is pushed into it, in the direction in which the insertion is to be pushed in, between the lower layer of cloth and the stitches 5. The strip 2 is then pushed along the probe with the barb directed downwardly, and the probe is then withdrawn. The strip is held against lateral moVement by the loops of the stitches 5 and against longitudinal movement downwardly by the barb 3 provided at the lower end of the strip.

The aperture 6 at the other end of the strip serves for stitching the other end of the strip to the fabric, if desired, as it has been experienced that some ladies and childrens clothing have lapels which are not provided with stitches such as the stitches 5 and by this means of securing the upper part of the strip the same can bend resiliently to the requisite extent and in the correct manner.

The placing of the strip with the barb directed downwardly, in comparison with the placing of the same with the barb directed upwardly, has an advantage. This consists therein that the lapel is quite smooth and internally has no longer the outwardly projecting barb. A chafing of the fibres of the cloth, even if it occurred in some cases, is completely prevented thereby. By placing the barb at the lower end of the strip, the fibres of the cloth at the lower end, inside the lapel cannot be damaged.

Also, the placing of the strip with the barb directed downwardly is of substantial advantage over the known method of placing the strip with the barb directed upwardly, in that the strip does not become damaged or worn at the point at which it should reinforce the revers, that is, toward the point of the revers, and so that there will be no reduction in the cross section by the barb being forced out.

If the strip is of steel, for example, it must lose substantially in resiliency at the point at which the barb is attached (by reason of the heating). In the present revers stiifening, the strip remains absolutely undamaged toward the reverse point and unweakened, and can fulfill its function 100 per cent. At the lower end of the strip a small weakened point plays an entirely subordinate function, for which allowance can be made.

I claim:

The combination with the lapel of a coat, of a reinforcement positioned in said lapel, said reinforcement being formed from relatively thin material having opposed fiat surfaces and rounded end portions, said reinforcement being positioned with one of said rounded end portions adjacent the converging edges defining the peak of said lapel and the opposite end portion extending away from the peak of the lapel and into the body thereof, said last mentioned end portion having a barb formed thereon, the point of which is drected toward the last mentioned end of the reinforcement and serving to anchor the device in the lapel.

KARL VON DANIKEN. 

